NEW ULM–Twelve-year-old Josh Shaneman became one of the first people to kayak the retention pond at the corner of 5th North and Garden.

The green space in front of the New Ulm Medical Center is not usually considered a destination for kayaking, but the rainfall over the last 24 hours changed it.

Shaneman’s father, Michael Shaneman, watched from the shoreline on North 5th. He said Josh was inspired to try kayaking the pond after seeing how much rainfall had collected.

Shaneman was on the water for around an hour. The water level dropped three feet in that time.

Shaneman has kayaked several lakes in the region, but this was a new experience.